Details | On September 8, President Claudia Sheinbaum presented her administration's Economic Package for 2026, marking a departure from previous fiscal approaches through targeted tax reforms and several budget reallocations. The package includes the General Economic Policy Criteria, Federal Revenue Law Initiative, and Federal Expenditure Budget Project, with Congress required to approve the measures by November 15.
Details | On September 8, President Claudia Sheinbaum presented her administration's Economic Package for 2026, marking a departure from previous fiscal approaches through targeted tax reforms and several budget reallocations. The package includes the General Economic Policy Criteria, Federal Revenue Law Initiative, and Federal Expenditure Budget Project, with Congress required to approve the measures by November 15.
The 2026 budget aims to reduce the fiscal deficit from 5.7% of GDP in 2024 to 4% while implementing what the Finance Ministry calls "healthy taxes" on sugar-sweetened beverages and introducing new digital platform oversight mechanisms. Key sectors receiving increased funding include energy, digital transformation, and social welfare, alongside a comprehensive customs reform targeting improved revenue collection.
1/ Energy Sector Emerges as Budget's Biggest Winner
The Energy Ministry (SENER) received the largest budget increase, with 86.8% more resources compared to 2025, totaling 267.4 billion pesos for 2026. Most of this allocation will be transferred to the state oil company PEMEX, continuing the administration's focus on strengthening state companies and supporting PEMEX to ease its current debt.
The Agency for Digital Transformation and Telecommunications (ATDT) also secured significant increases, receiving what experts describe as the largest budget ever assigned to a telecommunications regulator in Mexico. Finance Minister Edgar Amador Zamora defended the energy allocation as necessary for infrastructure modernization, though critics question the sustainability of continued PEMEX government subsidies.
Source: Gobierno de México
2/ "Healthy Taxes" Target Sugar and Digital Consumption
The package introduced new excise taxes branded as "healthy taxes," expanding levies on sugar-sweetened beverages and introducing charges on violent videogames. These measures align with international trends toward corrective taxation, aiming to modify consumption behaviors rather than prohibit products, although they have faced resistance by the private sector in the last few days. The sugar tax expansion builds on Mexico's decade-old beverage taxation framework, with health advocates supporting the measure while industry representatives warn of potential price increases for consumers.
3/ Customs Reform Introduces Tariff War Strategy
The 460-page customs law reform represents one of the package's most significant changes, introducing tariffs on goods from countries without free trade agreements, including China, South Korea, and Vietnam. Economist Luis Miguel González identified this as Mexico's entry into "tariff wars," with potential 40% growth in import tax collection projected for 2026. The reform tightens controls on customs agents and addresses security concerns following fuel theft scandals at customs. However, analysts warn that retaliatory measures from affected countries could impact Mexican exporters.
Source: Cámara de Diputados
4/ Digital Platform Oversight Raises Censorship Concerns
The Federal Fiscal Code now requires digital service providers to grant real-time access to their systems to tax authorities, with non-compliance resulting in platform blocking through telecommunications concessionaires. Communications expert Jorge Bravo criticized the measure as a resurrection of previously rejected "censorship law" provisions, arguing it grants excessive surveillance powers under fiscal justification. The Finance Ministry maintains the mechanism targets tax compliance from digital platforms operating in Mexico, though civil society groups express concerns about potential political misuse of blocking capabilities.
5/ Social Spending Increases Amid Infrastructure Investment Gaps
The Well-being Ministry received a 12% budget increase for 2026, maintaining social program expansion as a government priority. However, experts identified funding gaps in critical areas including water infrastructure for industrial zones, climate commitment financing, and the promised national care system highlighted in regional women's conferences. The budget allocation reflects continued emphasis on direct social transfers while infrastructure investment remains concentrated in energy and digital sectors.
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